2 - The Vocabulary
of Islamic Religious Architecture

Islamic Architecture:
Is taken today to mean the architecture built by or for Muslims, or that
built in Islamic lands or under Islamic government, a large corpus indeed.

The Liturgical
Elements of a Mosque:

Mihrab: A wall recess, mostly in the form of arched niche,
in the qibla wall, indicating the position
of the prayer-leader facing the direction toward Mecca.

Minbar: The
pulpit, mostly made of wood, put in a mosque near its mihrab, upon which
the prayer-leader stands when he gives the congregational prayer's sermon
on Fridays and in holidays.

Minaret:
A tall slender tower, circular or square in section, built next or in
a mosque, from which the Muslims are called to prayer. Mosques may have
one, two, three, four, and up to six minarets.

Ablution Fountain:
A feature frequently but not always encountered in mosques. It is usually
put in the center of the mosque's courtyard for the worshipers to perform
their ritual washing before prayer.

Formal Typology
of the Mosque:

The Hypostyle Mosque: Mosque in which the prayer hall
is formed of rows of vertical supports, or columns, that can multiply
indefinitely. Dominant type in the early period.

The Iwan Mosque:
Mosque in which the prayer hall is an iwan, or more, up to four iwans,
surrounding a courtyard. It was the most popular type in the medieval
period, and remained dominant in Iran.

The Central-Dome Mosque:
Mosque in which the prayer hall's space is dominated by a central dome
surrounded by smaller and lower semi-domes. It was introduced by the Ottomans
in the 15th century.